Fine
by FreezePride
Summary: Characters: Aeleus (Lexaeus), Ienzo (Zexion), Even (Vexen) Was there anything between a father and son which could be salvaged? Ienzo peers in at a memory he could not possibly have known about before. [ Basement Trio, family-centric ]


"He loves you."

Ienzo looked at him in utter disbelief. It was not typical between them, to find a subject which the both of them had entirely different views, but it seemed as though Aeleus may be immobile on the subject. Ienzo gave him a moment to reconsider. Nope, no reaction. His mouth twisted in a sneer. "You're overly optimistic." He hissed.

"I'm not." Aeleus answered. His voice did not waver, and his eyes were locked on to the young man as though praying that he'd try to believe within his guardian's words. Ienzo's sneer faltered and his brow knit in frustration. There was only so much rejection, so much disappointment that one could take, after all. He was sick and tired of being associated with the man that always, without fail, overlooked him or belittled him.

"He thinks me a child." Ienzo snapped in annoyance, wanting Aeleus to abandon his notion, to leave it behind, to agree with him and go along with his mindset, for it was lonely and angering to be the only one following such a hateful path.

"He does." Aeleus agreed, to Ienzo's bewilderment. In another dumbfounded silence, the young prodigy stared up at him, gaping. "There is a memory you should see." It was a rarity that the guardian would ever consent to something like reviewing one's thoughts, let along one's memories. These cases were personal to the highest degree. It was what preserved their humanity when all else seemed hellbent on tearing it away.

"You would allow that?" Ienzo questioned. A subtle incline to the other man's head answered him effectively. The young academic got to his feet, putting his book aside (he had only been reading it to distract himself, after all) and stepped forward, reaching up to place a hand at the other man's temple. His ability to read another's mind, another's memories was based entirely around his power of illusions and the progression of them in hindering another's mental state. It was a supreme act of trust to allow him access.

He expected nothing less of the guard. It warmed him greatly to see him stoop to one knee, as though the act of exposing his mind were quite as natural as agreeing to help him tidy the library, or fix him a meal. Aeleus never doubted him, even when he had every reason to do so. He trusted the young child from the beginning. Ienzo owed him the same respect. He allowed the memory to unfold in his consciousness like a backdrop splaying and a curtain being drawn aside.

Winter had sent a splay of snow upon the normally green courtyard grounds outside of the child prodigy's meagerly sized room. By no means was he denied of the standards of living, being that he had a healthy sized desk and a presentable bed, a dresser, a wardrobe, but it was alarmingly devoid of the crudely drawn pictures of superheros, or robots or daisies which other 7 year olds might have considered absolutely necessary. It was barren by their standards, and positively boring. Everything was straight edges, organized shelves, folded clothes.

That is, of course, aside from the man pouring over several text books at once beside the boy's bed.

The man in question could have defined the word agitated. Empty cups of coffee littered the floor nearby him in stark contrast to the neatness around him. Books were haphazardly splayed across empty spaces of bed and the floor nearby. The man was hunched over the nearest one, his leg supporting the notes while his blond hair cascaded around his thin, sharply featured face. Even was sitting at the boy's bedside.

For the bed was indeed occupied. So small was he at that age, he almost seemed to fade into his bed sheets. Ienzo was resting, a sheen of sweat across his face which wasn't occupied by a cooling towel. He was so very young and petite, a fragile boy for his age. His breath was wheezing, shallow gasps which punctuated the air around them with gentle little noises.

Even glanced at him involuntarily every few sentences he read. Checking, reading, checking, reading, checking. He seemed tireless, but for the circles under his eyes. The clock chimed midnight. As if on cue, Even jumped from his seat and removed the towel from the child's forehead, dipping it in a bowl of water beside him before replacing it clinically, carefully. He sat back down and picked up his book.

Then he checked Ienzo.

Aeleus cleared his throat softly to make himself known. Even didn't hear him even, or rather, if he did, he didn't deem it important enough to acknowledge. "Even." He said, finally and the scientist jumped, sending his notes flying to the floor (so apparently it was the former).

"What is it?" He collected the book and notepad which had slipped from his lap with an annoyed hiss in his voice. Aeleus looked down at him with a note of curiosity as he straightened back up again. Something about his entire body seemed remarkably tense, as though looking, begging for something to release his anger on. It was simple to control a conversation. It was far harder to control a fever. It was harder yet to care for a child.

"How is he?" Aeleus asked unnecessarily. He had been guarding the door this entire time. He would have known if anything had happened.

"His fever has dropped by 1.7 degrees since the development of the illness 72 hours prior. With the installation of changes to his cooling towel every hour, his discomfort has lessened by 23%, which is substantial considering his small size. It is quite possible that the fever will continue to lessen as the hours pass with regular care as given. He needs-"

"Even." Aeleus interrupted softly. He was ignored, the scientist plowed onward.

"a constant watch from the present care-giver to ensure that his temperature stabilizes. The running of a fever indicates that there is a pathogen which needs to be eradicated, but for one so small and young, such situations can prove fatal. If I were to-"

"I could-." He tried again. Same response.

"continue to watch over his progression, the data seems to indicate that he will recover from here, but one can never be too sure. This is only a speculative hypothesis, after all, with no concrete base within proven fact aside from first-hand accounts and-"

A touch on the shoulder silenced him. He stood dumbly, mouth open in mid-thought, staring blankly at Aeleus' as though he had just realized that the guard was there. "I can take care of him from here." The guard responded in soft, low tones, finally getting a word in edgewise. "I'll make sure-"

And apparently, two sentences had been hoping for far too much. "NO, you will NOT!" Even shrieked, swatting the larger man's hand away. "I must care for Ienzo to ensure his recovery from the outside pathogen, and YOU will only ruin this. I must MAKE SURE that he returns to his natural state safely. You will leave AT ONCE!" His stream of hysterics ended in him attempting to shove the other man back rather weakly, which only resulted in his own self being pushed backwards with his own force. Trying to shove Aeleus was like trying to shove a wall, it never worked and it always made one look overwhelming weak and stupid. He huffed in frustration at his companion, glaring icily at him with his poison green eyes.

"You haven't slept." Was the simple reply.

"Get out, I can handle this." Even hissed. Aeleus looked somewhat distraught, imploring, but he said no more about the subject. He nodded respectfully and exited the way he came, taking his post outside the door just as he had from the beginning, and would until the end.

The sun rose in the East. The warmth was unmistakable, extremely welcome after a night standing in darkness. It was nothing new to Aeleus, but it certainly was not a comforting state to be in, this worry between scientist and prodigy. Why he ever brought himself to be so careful with the both of them, he'd never truly know, but he wanted their well being. He wanted it quite badly, like a nagging sensation when anything tended to go amiss. The sky was cast pink when the door opened again and Even slid out.

He stood outside with Aeleus. Neither spoke, looking at the horizon. Even side stepped closer to him. Still they did not speak. The sun glowed from pink to yellow. One more step, their arms were touching and Aeleus wondered if this was his way of trying to 'sneak up' on him or shove him uselessly again for 'stupidity'.

"I am sorry." Even breathed, his voice drawn. His arms were folded almost protectively over himself. His face was turned to the ground and his hair fell in curtains, hiding his expression rather effectively.

"It's fine." Forgiven without question, Aeleus didn't even seem to think it necessary to think on the subject. There were far more important matters, after all. "How is Ienzo?" He voiced in undertones.

"The fever broke." Even's voice sounded smoother saying this, infinitely lighter. "He's such a fragile boy." Aeleus nodded in agreement. The scientist, staring at the ground, couldn't possibly have seen it, but he felt it all the same. "He should not be permitted to leave the castle grounds. It is far too dangerous. The conditions are obviously highly upsetting to him." Even justified. No, it was surely the outdoors, and not the countless sleepless hours spent up at night, finishing his books, writing his reports and imitating a man who seemed to refuse to notice him until he collapsed utterly.

Aeleus said nothing. He nodded, understanding completely.

"Thank you." Even murmured. Eighty two hours awake with little more than hysteria and paranoia to keep himself sane, one would think that sleep would be the preferred goal. The guard knew better after six years; he would get a cup of coffee, enough sugar to cause a seizure in any lesser man, and then back to the labs, but nothing, not even Even's seemingly lack of caring and hidden emotions, would ever take away the knowledge of what had happened on this day.

He had left his post, abandoned his obsession, cared for his child and even apologized for his wrongdoing. Aeleus shared a rather secret smile with the sunrise. Humanity was not quite so 'illogical' after all.

The memory faded into blackness almost as if a curtain had fallen gently and swiftly. They were left in the present, Aeleus staring down at Ienzo with much the same expression of concern and caring that he had sported so many years prior.

"That couldn't possibly have happened. You were the one who helped me when I was young and sick. Even said that he was far too busy." Ienzo glared up at him in disbelief. Aeleus said nothing, the memory spoke for itself after all.

"You invented that!" Ienzo persisted in a shout, getting up from his seat, looking absolutely incensed, his single eye glaring at him as though the other man had shown him something terribly filthy, or foolish. Yet again, Aeleus did not respond.

"Take it back! He never loved me!" Ienzo shrieked, shoving at the other man's torso, only to find himself being pushed back in the petulance of the action by his own strength, as though he were trying to shove a rock. Aeleus stared down at him imploringly, staying silent, knowing his words could do nothing more that the memory had not already.

Because Ienzo had seen it too. He was staring down at his own hands, expression blank, mouth slightly ajar before he let them fall to his sides and stared pointedly down at his shoes, his slate hair falling to curtain his face, watching the scene blur slightly as his eyes grew impossibly hot. He felt a comforting hand on his shoulder and he didn't have to look up to know who it was. He could even see that expression of understanding without even bothering.

"Thank you." Ienzo said finally, his voice tight.

"It's fine." Aeleus replied, meaning every word.


End file.
